Sulaimani governor calls for calm after day of ‘legitimate’ protest

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region – Recognizing the “legitimate” demands of the protesters, Sulaimani Governor Haval Abubakir called for calm after violent protests in several parts of the province on Monday. He urged people to seek change through the ballot box since elections are in sight.

The governor also praised the security forces and anti-riot police for exercising self-restraint as thousands of people took to the streets to demand better government services and full payment of their salaries.

The majority of the wounded were members of the security forces, Abubakir stated. He did not give a figure for the number injured. One person remains in hospital – a member of the security forces, Asayesh, from Chamchamal, the governor stated.

The demonstrators have to take a peaceful and legal way to voice their concerns, the governor said, vowing that the protection of people’s lives remains a priority

“The blood of the Kurds must not again be shed at the hands of Kurds,” he said. “The blood of a Kurdish person is far more important than the position of a member of the parliament, or the president of our country.”

Urging unity, Abubakir recalled the October events, the loss of the disputed areas, saying they were the “best example for the lack of unity,” with fatal consequences.

All the Kurdish parties have said they understand the demands of the protesters and asked the people to avoid violence.

Sulaimani is the stronghold of Abubakir’s Gorran and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). The two parties have also called for calm.

Party buildings of Kurdistan’s five major parties and some government buildings in the town of Piramagrun, northwest of Sulaimani, were set ablaze by angry protesters.

The governor said he was happy to see neither the government, nor the parties in question, respond with force. Monday’s protests “passed in a peaceful way,” he said, drawing comparisons to past deadly protests in 2011 and 2015.

He urged the parties to not take their rivalries into the streets and instead push for change through elections next year. “This is not the era of the Baath party whereby we can bring changes to the political system through uprising. This is an era where we are from the same bone and flesh,” Abubakir said.

The governor, who has a journalism background, demanded media be responsible in covering the events of Monday and the days to come.

“This is about our homeland,” he said, urging the media to show events “as they are” and avoid bringing political bias into their coverage.

“The people of Kurdistan are far more important than any political party, even the party that nominated me for this position,” Abubakir said with determination.

“God bless Sulaimani. God bless Kurdistan,” he concluded, without taking any questions.

The KRG and the ruling parties have failed the people despite repeated call to make reforms and fight corruption, Gorran, Sulaimani’s largest party, said in a statement on Monday.

As a result “the sanctuaries, victories and the achievements of the people of Kurdistan, as well as the lives of the people and those of future generations are under danger and serious threat from enemies,” Gorran’s statement read.

People’s demands for social justice, changing the political system – “These are the undeniable rights of the people,” Gorran said, adding that they call on the people to use peaceful means to voice their demands to the government and the world.

The party called on the Peshmerga and the security forces to “carry out their duty to protect and support their sisters and brothers.”

The party held at least two meetings on Monday in Sulaimani: with the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) and the Islamic Group (Komal), both members of the KRG coalition government.

The day’s protests were discussed as well as whether or not to push for the formation of an interim government. Gorran has questioned the legitimacy of the current government and is contemplating withdrawing from the governing coalition.

The KIU’s Osman Karwani told reporters that the government is not “sacred” and has failed to serve the people of Kurdistan. “The current faces” that run the KRG “have failed on the domestic, regional and international level,” he said, standing firm on the idea of forming an interim government despite opposition from the KDP and PUK.

He said his party stands by the demands of the protesters, but warned “violence does not serve the cause, be it from any side.”

Protesters were demonstrating against governance failures, including salary cuts, over a year of delayed salary payments, and lack of basic services like electricity. Their anger was fueled by allegations of widespread corruption within the government and ruling parties.

Facing an ongoing financial crunch, the KRG last week revealed plans to make further cuts to the state salaries after the loss of Kirkuk oil revenues and the continued budget cut from Baghdad.

The KRG has said it has prioritized reaching an agreement with Baghdad over the resumption of payment of Kurdistan’s share of the Iraqi budget for 2018, but if talks fail, Erbil will have to rely on its limited oil exports and non-oil revenues – an estimated monthly net income of $337.5 million.